Embroidery machine



April28, 1959 J. sTbBl 2,

EMBROIDERY MACHINE Filed Oct. 10, 1955 s Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR:

WM, BY fltt/J- A ril 28, 1959 J. STOBI 2,883,950

I EMBROIDERY MACHINE FiledOct. 10, 195 5 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORQ J 5 T691 April 1959 J. STOBI 2,883,950

EMBROIDERY MACHINE Filed Oct. 10, 1955 s Sheets-Sheet 3 i INVENTOR:

United States Patent D EMBROIDERY MACHDIE Johann Stiibi, Uzwil, Switzerland, assignor to Maschinenfabrik Benninger A.G., Uzwil, Switzerland Application October 10, 1955, Serial No. 539,554

Claims priority, application Switzerland October 15, 1954 2 Claims. (Cl. 112-94) The present invention relates to an embroidery machine and more particularly to an apparatus for pulling the threads through the embroidery fabric in embroidery machines operating with threads cut to appropriate length.

In the heretofore known embroidery machines operating with threads cut to appropriate length the embroidery needles are alternately pulled through the embroidery fabric from the front to the rear side thereof and vice versa, by means of a row of holdfasts arranged on a front and a rear chariot advanced and retracted according to the thread length. This embroidering process is rather wearisome and several apparatus have been proposed for reducing this drawback, however, none of these apparatus has proved successful in practice as they either do not permit a substantial increase of the working output or then result in a lowering of the quality of the embroidery.

It is a prime object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for pulling the threads through the embroidery fabric in embroidery machines working with threads cut to appropriate length, whereby at least one row of holdfasts is arranged at each side of the embroidery frame and whereby the embroidery needles are alternately passed from one row of holdfasts to the corresponding row on the other side of the fabric and vice versa, in which apparatus the afore-mentioned drawbacks are avoided.

To this effect in the apparatus according to the invention the rows of holdfasts are arranged on movable rules and a chariot, separated from said rules, is associated to each of them, this chariot being provided with a movable row of holders serving for intermittently receiving the threads in order to pull and stretch them, the arrangement being such that the threads are received by the thread holders of the corresponding chariot subsequent to their partial pulling through the embroidery fabric, while the threads still held by the threads holders of the second chariot since the previous stitch formation, are released by said holders owing to a corresponding movement of the latter.

Thereby the threads may be formed to new loops at the corresponding row of holders subsequent to a short pulling through the embroidery fabric already and on the other hand the thread loops still on the other row of holders since the previous stitch formation may be stripped off therefrom shortly before the threads are stretched by said first mentioned row of holders. This results in a corresponding shortening of the working time necessary for the embroidering, which time may further be reduced in that the working operation may be executed substantially by machine power.

Other features of the invention will become apparent from the description now to follow of an embodiment thereof, given by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 illustrates a double stage embroidery machine in elevational view;

Fig. 2 shows, at enlarged scale, a cross-section taken along the line 11-11 in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 represents, also at enlarged scale, a cross-section taken along the line III1II in Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 shows, still at enlarged scale, a detail view of the lower embroidering stage of Fig. 2,

Fig. 5 is a plan view, partially in section, of the detail shown in Fig. 4 with several parts removed or only diagrammatically indicated for the sake of clarity, and

Fig. 6 is a cross-section taken along the line VIVI in Fig. 5.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, in Fig. 1 reference A designates the pantograph for moving and guiding the embroidery frame B carrying in a well known way per se on rollers the embroidery fabric C of both working stages of the machine. Reference G designates the embroidery pattern, which the operator follows step-by-step with a feeler H provided at the free end of the pantograph A, thereby transmitting the movement of said feeler to the whole embroidery frame B.

In Figs. 2, 4 and 5 references D and E designate the front and rear chariot respectively, provided for each embroidering stage with a cap-shaped elongated carrier designated by reference numeral 1 for the chariot D and 1' for the chariot E. Each carrier 1 and 1, respectively, of the lower embroidering stage is provided at its front ends with two rollers 2 and 2', respectively, (Figs. 4, 5). For each of the said two pairs of rollers 2 and 2' a guiding 3 and 3, respectively, is provided at the machine frame F. Supporting ledges 4 and 4, respectively, are pivotally arranged in each of the two carriers 1 and l, respectively, of the chariots D and E. A row of holders 5 and 5', respectively, is arranged on each of said ledges for receiving each an embroidering thread a cut to appropriate length, said holders projecting in their upper end position, shown in Fig. 4 for chariot D, beyond openings in their corresponding carriers 1 and 1, respectively. The holders 5, 5' are preferably constituted by rollers. The supporting ledges 4 and 4', respectively, of the lower carriers 1 and 1', respectively, are provided at levers 6, 6', respectively, pivotally arranged on the associated chariot D, E, respectively. Said levers 6, 6' are connected over arms 8, 8' and a shaft 9, 9' to a control arm 10, 10 carrying a roller 11, 11' adapted to cooperate with a vertically mov able guiding 12, 12' guided by means of a sleeve 52, 52. At the control arms 10, 10 of the carriers 1 and 1', respectively, of the upper embroidering stage, the said rollers and the guiding are replaced by a guiding member 51, 51, respectively, connecting the associated control arm 10 or 10, respectively, of the lower embroidering stage, with the corresponding control arm of the upper embroidering stage (Fig. 2). When the chariots D and E are immediately adjacent to the embroidery fabric C their rollers 11 or 11 are in cooperation with the corresponding guiding 12 or 12', respectively, as indicated for chariot E in Fig. 4. The guidings 12 and 12 are actuated from a gear box 13 by a lower shaft 14 and 14, respectively, which shafts are in operating connection with their corresponding guiding 12 or 12' over arms 15, 15 and a rod 16, 16' respectively.

The reciprocating of the two chariots D and E necessary for the embroidering is obtained by actuating a handle 17 (Fig. 1) arranged on a shaft 18 and influencing the gear arranged in the gear-box 13. This gear provides the drive for shafts 19 and 19' (Figs. 3, 1) for moving the front and rear chariots D and E, respectively, over chain drives 20, 20' and a driving shaft 21, 21', respectively, for the chariots of the lower embroidering stage. According to Figs. 1 and 2 two chain wheels 22 and 22', are arranged on said shafts 21 and 21, respectively, and chains 23 and 23', respectively, are associated therewith. The chariots D and E, respectively, are rigidly connected with said chains by axial bolts carrying the rollers 2 and 2'. The driving shafts 21, 21' of the lower embroidering W stage are in operating connection with the driving shafts 21 and 21' of the upper embroidering stage through vertical chain drives as visible from Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

As shown in Fig. 4 for the lower embroidering stage a rule 24, 24- is arranged above the moving track of each carrier 1, 3', espectively, of the chariots D and E, respectively. These rules 24- and 24' each carry a row of clamping members or holdfasts 25 and 25', respectively, adapted to alternately receive and hold the embroidery needles 2s. These holdfast rules 24 and 2 1 may as well be moved transversely as also parallel, with respect to the embroidery fabric C.

For the said parallel movement the holdfast rules 2-; of both embroidering stages are each connected to a guide 27 connected by means of an arm 28 with a common control shaft 29 arranged at the front part of the machine. This control shaft 29 in turn is connected at its lower end over an arm 36 and a guide 31 to a control lever 32 which projects beyond the gear box 13 and is drivable by the gear contained in that gear box. Correspondingly this gear may also actuate, over the guides 27' (Fig. the holdfast rules 24 arranged at the rear side of the machine for both embroidering stages of this side. In Fig. 3 reference numeral 32' designates the associated control lever projecting beyond the gear box 13.

In order to move the holdfast rules 24, provided at the front side of the machine for both embroidering stages, transversally with respect to the embroidery fabric C these rules are connected by means of two members 33, a guide 34 and arms 35 with a horizontal control shaft 36 as visible from Figs. 1, 4 and 5. The guides 34- are provided at their front and rear end with hinges. The said control shaft 36 is connected by its right hand side end in Fig. 1 over an arm 37 (see also Fig. 3) and a guide .38 to a control lever 39 located on a shaft projecting beyond the gear box 13 and driven by the gear arranged in the latter. Accordingly, and as visible from Fig. 3, this gear also drives over a control lever 39, a guide 38 and an arm 37', the horizontal control shaft 36, which is in operating connection with the holdfast rules 24' provided for both embroidering stages of the rear side of the machine over the members 35, 34' and 33 (Fig. 4).

From the right hand side of Fig. 5, Fig. 6 and Fig. 1 it may be seen how the holdfast rules 24 and 24 are suspended from arms 40 and 40', respectively. A beam 55 secured to the arm 40 and a sliding frame 56 secured to the holdfast rule 24 render possible, in cooperation, the longitudinal and transversal displacement of the holdfast rule 24. A similar arrangement is of course provided for the holdfast rule 24.

The two control shafts 36 and 36, provided for the holdfast rules 24 and 24, respectively, of both embroidering stages of the front and rear side of the machine, further to their suspension of the arms it) and iii, respectively, erve to receive each an auxiliary shaft 4i. and 41, respectively. The auxiliary shaft 41 of the lower embroidering stage of the front machine side is connected by an arm 42 (Figs. 1 and 3) and over a guide 43 with a control lever drivable by the gear located in the gear box 13, itself driven by an electromotor 46 over a belt transmission 45. Likewise, according to Fig. 3, the auxiliary shaft 41' of the lower embroidering stage of the rear side of the machine is driven at its corresponding end from the mentioned gear over an arm 42', guide 43' and a control lever 4 From the lower embroidering stage of the front side of the machine an arm 3? (Figs. 1 and 3), arranged on the control shaft 36, actuates over a guide 47 and an arm 48, the control shaft 36 of the holdfast rule 24 in the upper embroi ering stage. Analogously the control shaft 36 of the holdfast 2d of the upper embroidering stage of the rear machine side is actuated by an arm 37 fixed to the control shaft 36 of the lower embroidering stage over a guide 47 and an arm 1-8. Moreover the auxiliary shaft 41 of the lower embroidering stage of the front machine side actuates over an arm 42, a guide 49 and an arm 50 the auxiliary shaft 41 of the upper embroidering stage While on the rear machine side in analogous manner the auxiliary shaft 41' of the upper embroidering stage is actuated by the auxiliary shaft 41 of the lower ernbroidering stage over corresponding members 42, 49, 50'. The auxiliary shafts 41 and 41' of both embroidering stages are provided with cams 54 and 54, respectively, acting, over vertically displaceably guided actuating ledges 53 and 53, respectively (Figs. 4 and 5), onto the holdfast 25 and 25, respectively, which are of the usual Well known construction. The actuating ledges 53 and 53 are vertically guided in bearings 57 and 57 secured to the arms 40 and 40', respectively.

In Figs. 2 and 4 it is assumed that the threads a have been stretched by means of the holders 5 of the front chariot D. Hereafter, subsequent to the displacement of the embroidering frame B in its plane and accordingly of the embroidery fabric C by the pantograph A, the operator, by means of the handle 17 (Fig. 1), moves the chariot D over a short distance in direction towards the embroidery fabric C. This starts the gear in the gear box 13, which causes in rapid sequence that over the lower shaft 14, the arm 15 of the latter and the rod 16 the guiding 12 associated with the lower embroidering stage is lifted whereby simultaneously the associated holdfast rule 24 is moved by the members 3933 (Figs. 3, 4) towards the embroidery fabric C and moreover according to Fig. 1 is submitted by the members 21-32 to a parallel displacement so that, referring to the arrangement shown in Fig. 5, the front holdfasts 25 come into a position in which they are opposite the rear holdfasts 25' of holdfast rule 24 (on the rear side of the machine). The opening and closing of the holdfast 25 and 25, respectively, necessary for a correct transmitting of the embroidery needles 26 in the lower embroidering stage from the front holdfast 25 to the rear holdfast 25 is obtained from the gear in the gear box 13 by the members 44, 43, 42 and the auxiliary shaft 41 with its cams 54 and over the actuating ledge 53 for the front holdfasts 25, and by the corresponding members on the rear side of the machine for the rear holdfasts 25', Analogously the holdfasts 25 and 25' of the upper embroidering stage are influenced by the arms 42 and 42', respectively, of the shafts 4i and 41 (Fig. 3) of the lower embroidering stage over guides 49 and 49, respectively, etc.

Subsequent to the transmitting of the needles in both embroidering stages from the front holdfasts to the rear holdfasts the rule 24 of the latter is moved away rearwardly from the embroidery fabric C whereby in addition a parallel displacement is imparted to it. Simultaneously the guiding 12 associated with the lower embroidering stage is lowered resulting in a downwardly pivoting of the control arm 10 over the roller ii. so that the shaft 9' is correspondingly rotated and that over the parts 3', '7, 6 and 4' it is caused that the thread holders 5' project through the openings in the corresponding carrier 1'. Exactly the same process is effected in the upper embroidering stage with respect to the thread holder 5' owing to the operating connection of the corresponding members. Due to the simultaneity of the rearward and parallel movement of the separate holdfast rule 24 and to the upward movement of the thread holders 5 to the level of the needles 26 the threads are guided in form of a loop about the said holders 5'. Finally in the gear arranged in the gear box 13 the chariot D is coupled to the handle 17 whereafter the said gear is stopped. Now the operator may move both the chariots D and E to the left hand side in Fig. 4 this causing the holders 5 to completely pull the threads 01 through the embroidery fabric C. During this simultaneous movement of both chariots D and E to the left the control arm 10, provided at the front chariot D, comes into operating connection by means of its roller 11 with the guiding 12, which as has been described had been brought from its lower into its upper position so that further movement of the chariots D and E causes an upward swinging of the control arm which, in turn, over the rotating shaft 9 and the members 8, 7 and 6 causes the supporting ledge 4 to pivot downwardly with the thread holders 5 (Figs. 2 and 4). By this the thread holders are sunk in the carrier 1 whereby the threads a, slung about said holders 5, bear against the carrier 1 and are slipped oif and liberated from the holders 5. Thereby it is attained that the threads a are slipped from the chariot D only after having been pulled through the embroidery fabric C almost fully by the holdfasts of chariot E, so that they can no more entangle. As soon as chariot D has attained its inner end position it is disengaged from the shaft 18 of the handle 17 by the gear in the gear box 13, whereafter the rear chariot D continues alone in order to stretch the threads to an extent, which may be determined by the operator. Subsequent to this the operator displaces by means of the pantograph A the embroidery frame B and thus the embroidery fabric C for a new embroidering stitch, turns the rear chariot E back a short distance to cause the gear in the gear box 13 to re-start for executing the described operation in the reversed manner as may be easily understood from the foregoing description and from the drawings.

Furthermore it may be easily understood that the chariots D and E provided with the thread holders 5 and 5' have only a very short distance to cover and as moreover both chariots are moved simultaneously an accordingly rapid execution of the embroidering is rendered possible. Owing to the fact that a motor is provided for the gear arranged in the gear box 13, the movements of the holdfast rules, etc. produced by this gear may correspondingly be executed rapidly and easily.

Of course the invention may also be applied to an em- 35 1,823,911

broidering machine having more than two or only one embroidering stages in the same way as has been described with respect to a two-stage embroidering machine.

I claim:

1. An embroidery machine of the type having means for pulling the embroidering threads through the embroidery fabric in embroidery machines working with threads cut to appropriate length, comprising a machine frame, an embroidery frame for the embroidery fabric, reciprocating hold-fast rules mounted on said machine frame, a row of holdfasts for embroidery needles arranged at each side of said machine frame on said hold-fast rules for alternately passing the needles from one row of holdfasts to the corresponding row on the other side of the fabric, a separate chariot associated with each of said rules provided with movable holders to intermittently receive the threads, means for simultaneously effecting the passing of the needles and the reception of the threads by the holders of one chariot, means for efiecting the further passing of the thread by the simultaneous movement of the chariots of both machine sides and means for the thread holders of the inwardly moved chariot to liberate the threads shortly before the chariot stops at its innermost position while they are stretched by the holders of the outwardly moved chariot.

2. A machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein means are provided for the looping of the threads about the thread holders so that the holdfast rules are moved backwardly while simultaneously the threads are seized by the movable thread holders arranged on the chariot standing still during this operation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 443,820 Buss et a1 Dec. 30, 1890 1,378,668 Fahrni May 17, 1921 Muentener et a1 Sept. 22, 1931 2,622,551 Gerber Dec. 23, 1952 

